Victoria officials to lower tax rate

IF YOU GO

The preliminary $49 million budget to keep Victoria running is up for discussion Tuesday.

Victoria City Council will host a public hearing at 5 p.m. Tuesday on the tax rate.

In order to accommodate the proposed programs for raises, street maintenance, street sweeping and a new residential street reconstruction program, the City Council is looking at a property tax rate of 58.40 cents per $100 valuation, a decrease of 1.56 cents from last year's tax rate.

The owner of a $100,000 home would owe $584 in city taxes before exemptions.

The first vote on the tax rate will take place at 5 p.m. Sept. 9 in the City Council chamber, 107 West Juan Linn St.

Here are a few highlights of items the council is expected to discuss.

Fee Increases

Permits for pool halls are proposed to increase to $25 from $15.

The increase will offset the time the police chief and police captain as well as city secretary spend authorizing the permits and conducting background checks on each applicant.

Permits for residential buildings, commercial buildings and manufactured housing will also see an increase. Fees for plats are also proposed to increase.

Billboard permits are proposed to increase $10 to $135. The cost for banners over Main Street will increase to $160 from $150.

Public Works is proposing increasing fees on water meters as well as water connection fees.

Traffic light

A traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and Loop 463 is projected to cost $385,000. Victoria Sales Tax Development Corp. plans to contribute $135,000, and the Texas Department of Transportation will reimburse the city for the remaining $250,000.

One-way street

A portion of North East Street between East Constitution and East Goodwin streets will be changed to one-way northbound. The intersection at East Street and Goodwin Avenue will become a right-turn only intersection for motorists exiting East Street onto Goodwin Avenue.

The change is needed now that Kansas City Southern Railroad Co., in conjunction with Union Pacific Railroad, wants to install an additional crossing at East Goodwin Avenue near the intersection with North East Street.